Saturday, June 2, 2007

uncommonly common [xxx root beer]

The place to go for root beer.

Do you like root beer? I mean, do you really like root beer? Because XXX Root Beer is some of the best in the country. Do you also like 50's nostalgia, car culture and burgers the size of your head? Then stop reading now and head to Issaquah!

Still here? Ok. I guess I'll have to finish the review.

Did I mention the root beer? This is really good root beer. And it comes in massive, frosted mugs. I must say that the massive, frosted mugs will set you back $3.25. And if you ask for no ice it'll cost you an extra 95 cents. It says so right on the menu. Good root beer doesn't come cheap.

That's a lot of root beer!

There's a reason you'll be needing such a herculean beverage, though. It's to wash down those burgers. The ones the size of your head. These incredible portions date from the 50's, when, as everybody knows, the Greasers only ate once a week. They always ordered things like the Triple XXX burger; a burger the size of your head with THREE patties.

And, incidentally, the only thing on the menu with out a reference to car culture in the name.

All the rest of the stuff is named after car stuff. You might get a 58 Impala, a burger with cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles, mayo and XXX dressing. Or a Low Rider which is a burger with bacon, grilled onions, mayo and the ubiquitous XXX dressing.

I had eaten only a few days before my visit, so I got something lite. A Hubcap. See? Car name. It's a chicken sandwich.

Q: how do you know when you're at a greasy spoon?A: when even the bread is greasy.

Now, this is a Diner/Drive In. Unlike most modern Diners, XXX has not updated it's food for the modern, health conscious consumer. Instead, it chooses to remind us why diners used to be called Greasy Spoons. You expect maybe the fries are greasy. The onion rings; that makes sense. But the bread? What do they do to the bread? Do you see the sheen?

This is not necessarily a bad thing.

But on the other hand. The food is not that interesting. Grease, on it's own, isn't much of a flavor. It is filling though. And that is why I don't have a review of the Root Beer Floats for you. No Room. One day I'll get back to Issaquah and let you know.

When I go, I'm sitting outside. The clutter of random 50's junk and car parts on the wall is just a little too much. And I'm speaking as someone who loves random 50's junk and car parts.

it's not half cluttered.no. it's all the way cluttered.

It's a good place. An experience. The root beer is awesome. Go very hungry, or just for desert.